343 failed abode applicants still in hiding two years on

Efforts continue to find those missing since grace period to return lapsed

More than 300 failed abode applicants are still hiding in Hong Kong two years after the deadline for them to return to the mainland.

The Immigration Department said 649 failed claimants remained, including 343 who had gone into hiding since the grace period for them to go back to the mainland lapsed on April 1, 2002.

The rest either have cases being processed by the department or are involved in unresolved legal battles.

A department source said while it was becoming harder to arrest abode seekers who had absconded, operations would continue to locate them.

'There are also abode seekers surrendering to us from time to time, especially before festive holidays when they decide to return to their mainland homes,' the source said.

About 9,000 abode seekers were in Hong Kong before the Court of Final Appeal ruled against most of the claimants on January 10, 2002. The government later imposed a grace period and said all failed claimants must return home by March 31.